Clark Street Beach Bird Habitat Restoration

Public Works

Clark Street BeachBird Habitat Restoration

Public Works

Clark Street Beach - Bird Habitat Restoration

TEAM

City of Evanston Public Works/Parks & Recreation

Consultants

Landscape Architect Kettelkamp & KettelkampRyan Kettelkamp/Dave Lawrie

Restoration Specialist Christopher B. Burke EngineeringRobert Sliwinski

Bird Conservationist Judy Pollock

Migratory Birds

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“The City’s Goal for this project is torestore the impacted bird habitat atClark Street Beach by developing asuitable environment to support andenhance use by migratory birds.”

Per the City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance, NUwas required to pay a Tree Replacement Fee forthe removal of 275 trees on the City’s property.

$173,000

PROJECT SCHEDULE 2015

• Public Review Process Apr-May • Design/Construction Documents Jun-Jul • Bidding Process /Select Contractor Aug • Implementation Sept–Oct

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Pre‐existing Conditions

• Dense Woodland (Structure)• Dune Habitat

• Bird Survey• Plant Survey


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Habitat Removal

Area removed due to Northwestern Visitor Center construction & fire lane


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Current Condition

New Visitor Center & Fire Lane

Remnant Grove

• Wooded to west• Low area in the middle• Volunteer Cottonwoods to the east


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Existing Vegetation

• NU planted dunegrass around building(Installed & Maintained by NU)

• Central Zone along jogging path towards beach house (under City control)

• Additive planting to enhance bird habitat


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Expand new habitat into Clark Street Beach to ensure net balance of habitat area.


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Consolidated Bird Habitat

• Fenced off to protect plantings• Fencing provides limited access to

beach• Volleyball net poles adjusted• Beach tractor rake access maintained


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STRUCTURE

Bird Habitat Plantings

Four Levels of Structure for Birds:

• Upper Canopy (Tall Trees)• Middle Canopy (Smaller Trees)• Shrub Layer• Ground Layer (Forbs, Grasses and

Leaf Litter)

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REMOVE

Selective clearing of undesirable plant material

• Public safety (Ash trees)• Overly Competitive (Grape Vine)• Allow plant succession (Cottonwoods)• Pruning to re‐invigorate plants (Dogwood)

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PLANT

• Trees & Shrubs• Bur & Black Oak• Hawthorn• Redosier & Gray Dogwood• Ninebark & Potentilla

• Wildflower/Grass plug planting• Seeding

• Planting treatment intensity depends on zone.

• Remnant Core 25% treatment• Central Strip 50%• Beach 75%

• Sand conditions limit plant choice.

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PROTECT

Slatted Beach Fencing

• Protect habitat & new planting • Rabbit damage• People trampling plants

• Limit public access to beach & habitat.

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MAINTAIN

Volunteers • Evanston Tree Keepers• Birding Groups• Scouts

Liaison with Botany & Ecology Department NU

Prepare Management Strategy to ensure suitable habitat establishes and is maintained.

• Monitoring• Removal of undesirable plants• Ongoing education

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MIGRATORY BIRDS

About 280 species of birds migrate through the Chicago area annually:• Warblers (32 species)• Sparrows (18 species)• Flycatchers (10 species)• Thrushes, Vireos, Wrens, Blackbirds,

Evanston’s lakeshore location, north of “corn‐soybean desert” on Lake Michigan, makes it a critical stopping‐off point for migrating birds.

Habitat also provides food:• Insects • Nectar• Fruit• Seeds• Buds

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DISCUSSION

• Plant Material• Protection• Wildlife being served• Habitat Structure• Public Involvement